On WEDNESDAY, February 27th, the House will vote on a rule to proceed with consideration of VAWA. We want them to vote YES on the Rule.

On THURSDAY, February 28th,the vote on the actual bill will occur. We want them to vote NO on the House substitute bill and YES on the Senate version of VAWA.

Your Congress Members are listening to you! We only have a few hours to act so please call today and tomorrow morning. Members must hear loud and clear that they need to pass the bipartisan Senate version of VAWA! Your work has gotten us this far – let’s get this done!

URGENT ACTION ITEM:

To reach your Congress Member, call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 or look them up herehttp://www.house.gov/representatives/. When you’re connected to their offices, ask to speak to the staff person who handles VAWA.

MESSAGE:

I am a constituent from (city and state) and my name is _________. I’m calling about the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). I urge Congress Member ________ to vote NO on the House substitute bill and then vote YES on the bipartisan Senate version of S. 47. VAWA can and must protect all victims.

Tweet to your Congress Member:

@[congress person’s handle]: On 2/28 vote NO on the House substitute bill and then vote YES on the bipartisan Senate version of S. 47. #VAWA

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For more information, fact sheets, press coverage, support letters and updates continue to visit www.4vawa.org.

Follow us on Twitter at @NTFVAWA and “like” our Facebook page. Don’t forget to tweet about VAWA using the hashtags #ReauthorizeVAWA, #RealVAWA and #VAWA.

If you aren't on one of the VAWA email lists or want to add members of your staff or state/community leaders to our grassroots alerts e-mailing list, send names and contact information including email to ntfvawaalerts@icasa.org.

There has been an important and TIME SENSITIVE development with VAWA. Today, the House Rules Committee voted on a rule that provides one hour of general debate on S. 47 with 20 minutes of debate on the Republican substitute to the Senate bill.

If the Republican substitute fails, the House will vote on the full bipartisan Senate bill. This vote will happen on THURSDAY (2/28) so we only have a few hours to act.

Your Congress Members are listening to you! In the next two days, Members must hear loud and clear that they need to pass the bipartisan Senate version of VAWA! Your work has gotten us this far – let’s get this done!

URGENT ACTION ITEM: Please call the following Congress Members (on the list below) who have expressed a desire to vote for a bill that protects all victims and urge them to vote NO on the partisan substitute bill and then vote YES on the bipartisan Senate version of S.47. Tell them that they can and must protect ALL victims of violence.

If your Congress Member is not on the list below, call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask the operator to connect you to your Representatives. If you don’t know who your Representatives are, you can look them up herehttp://www.house.gov/representatives/. When you’re connected to their offices, ask to speak to the staff person who handles VAWA.

These 19 members (in alphabetical order by state) signed the Republican letter to the House leadership See letter and signatories here (Poe and Ros Lehtinen signed after this was posted):

For more information, fact sheets, press coverage, support letters and updates continue to visit 4vawa.org.

Follow us on Twitter at @NTFVAWA and “like” our Facebook page. Don’t forget to tweet about VAWA using the hashtags #ReauthorizeVAWA, #RealVAWA and #VAWA.

If you aren't on one of the VAWA email lists or want to add members of your staff or state/community leaders to our grassroots alerts e-mailing list, send names and contact information including email to ntfvawaalerts@icasa.org.

Legislation will be before the House Rules Committee TODAY(2/26/13) and debated on the House floor as early as WEDNESDAY

TAKE ACTION NOW!

The Republican’s version of VAWA, which substitutes the Senate’s inclusive, comprehensive version of S.47 for a bill that excludes effective protections for LGBT, tribal, immigrant, and campus victims, will likely be on the House floor this Wednesday. NTF opposes this bill. We need to call our Representatives and urge them to vote against the House Republican Leader’s substitute VAWA and ask them to vote for the field-approved VAWA that passed in the Senate with strong bipartisan support.

Representatives Issa and Cole may ask the Rules committee to allow them to offer an amendment to replace the House’s flawed tribal provisions with improved language that will provide effective, constitutionally sound protections for Native victims of domestic violence. Call your Representatives and ask them to tell House leadership to accept the Issa/Cole amendment.

78 Senators from both parties and over 1,300 local, state and national professional and policy organizations support the Senate-passed bill as do law enforcement officials, health care professionals, community program and service providers, and the tens of millions of survivors and their families, friends and loved ones who rely on and have benefitted from and used the services and resources provided by the 19 year old law which has now expired.

It must be noted that after months of tireless efforts by advocates working with the Republican leadership staff, there are some small but very important improvements in this substitute and the bill is not the punitive version of last year’s House bill.

Fails to include the protections for LGBT victims from the Senate bill

Weakens and limits opportunities for culturally specific racial and ethnic minority community based organizations to provide culturally specific services to members of their communities who are disproportionally the victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Contains harsh administrative penalties and hurdles for small struggling domestic violence and sexual assault programs and an additional layer of bureaucracy through the office of the Attorney General

Drops the Campus Sexual Violence Elimination (SaVE) Act, which is included in the Senate bill, that improves the handling of sexual violence and intimate partner violence on college campuses

Drops important provisions in the Senate bill that that work toward erasing the rape kit backlog

Weakens protections, that were included in the Senate bill, for victims in public housing

Drops the inclusion of “stalking” among the list of crimes covered by the U visa (a critical law enforcement tool that encourages immigrant victims to assist with the investigation or prosecution of certain enumerated crimes)

We must oppose this partisan substitute and pass the Senate version of VAWA. 201 Democrats are sponsors of H.R. 11, the House replica of the Senate bill as introduced. 19 Republican Representatives have asked the House Republican leaders to pass a bipartisan bill that “reaches all victims” and dozens more Republicans support some or all of the Senate provisions that are not included in the Republican VAWA imposter.

BIPARTISAN ACTION ITEM: Call your Democratic House members to ensure that they will oppose the Republican leadership’s substitute and support the “real” S. 47, the Senate passed bill.

Find out if your Republican Representative is one of the 19 who supports a bipartisan, inclusive VAWA and ask them step up and to oppose the Republican leader’s substitute and demand and support a vote on the Senate bill

Call or email the 7 Members who voted against last years’ harmful, non-inclusive Republican VAWA

Call or write the 26 House members who have interest in one or some of the Senate’s inclusive provisions

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For more information, fact sheets, press coverage, support letters and updates continue to visit www.4vawa.org.

Follow us on Twitter at @NTFVAWA and “like” our Facebook page. Don’t forget to tweet about VAWA using the hashtags #ReauthorizeVAWA, #RealVAWA and #VAWA.

If you aren't on one of the VAWA email lists or want to add members of your staff or state/community leaders to our grassroots alerts e-mailing list, send names and contact information including email to ntfvawaalerts@icasa.org.

Unfortunately, the National Task Force must oppose the House proposed VAWA legislation filed today. This legislation lacks necessary protections for victims of violence and rolls back current law. NTF supports efforts to move the House legislation closer to the inclusive, bipartisan Senate-passed bill.

We need to call the Leaders of the House of Representatives who have the power to bring up the Senate-passed VAWA for a vote.

Reports are that the House Republican leaders will bring up VAWA as early as next week – either the Senate version or a bill of their own. We must demand that they take up S. 47, the bipartisan, inclusive bill that passed the Senate 78-22. We must remind them that S. 47 has victim-centered support in the House from both parties and will pass if it comes to the House floor for a vote. Any effort to weaken or delay VAWA does not reflect the will of our country, of our Congress or the desperate need of victims in our homes and communities all across the nation. Survivors of violence cannot wait any longer!

The numbers add up for a victory for VAWA on the House floor: 201 Democratic sponsors of the House version of the Senate bill; 19 Republican Representatives asking the House Republican leaders to pass a bipartisan bill that “reaches all victims…”; 8 Republican sponsors of the Issa/Cole bill (H.R. 780) that closely mirrors the tribal jurisdiction section of the Senate-passed bill, dozens more Republicans who support some or all of the Senate provisions, and 1,300 local state and national organizations who have signed a letter to the House to pass S.47.

ACTION ITEM #1 Contact the House Republican leadership.

They need to hear from activists all across the U.S. “The numbers add up – the majority of the House supports the bipartisan inclusive Senate bill. Please do not stall this vital bill. Bring S.47 to the House floor for a vote next week.”

Ask Cathy McMorris Rodgers to step up for the women and children of this nation and courageously support the Senate bill.

Call or write the 26 House members who have interest in one or some of the Senate’s inclusive provisions (this includes sponsors of the Issa/Cole tribal provisions and many of the supporters of the sex-trafficking Senate amendment).

ACTION ITEM #3: PARTICIPATE IN OUR PHOTO CAMPAIGN!

Join our “We need VAWA because…” campaign on Facebook and Instagram! Tag your photos on Instragram with #VAWA or submit your photos via email to our partners from The Leadership Conference Education Fund at lccref@gmail.com. Make sure to include your state name and your state representative’s name in your statement so that your representative knows that their state cares about VAWA.

For more about the National Task Force’s multi-year effort to ensure the reauthorization of a strong, bi-partisan VAWA that protects all victims, and for expert factsheets, sign-on letters, and other resources, continue to visit www.4VAWA.org.

Follow us on Twitter at @NTFVAWA and “like” our Facebook page. Don’t forget to tweet about VAWA using the hashtags #ReauthorizeVAWA, #VAWA4all and #VAWA.

If you aren't on one of the VAWA email lists or want to add members of your staff or state/community leaders to our grassroots alerts e-mail list, send names and contact information including email to ntfvawaalerts@icasa.org.

On February 12th, the Senate passed S. 47, a strong, inclusive bill to reauthorize the landmark Violence Against Women Act sponsored by Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Michael Crapo (R-ID), by a 78-22 bipartisan vote! Thank you for all of your hard work to make this happen! And thank you to our Senate champions and the Administration for their unwavering support.

Now we need to tell the House of Representatives to bring the bipartisan Senate bill to the House floor for a vote - and to get this done immediately! Right now the House leadership is pondering about what direction to take on VAWA.

“No decision has been made about…whether we take up the Senate bill or move our own version of the bill.”

We need to help Speaker Boehner and the House decide to take up the Senate bill S. 47. The House is on recess this week so call your district offices and/or visit your representative in their district office. Survivors of violence cannot wait any longer!

NTF is circulating a letter urging the House of Representatives to immediately take up the bipartisan Senate-passed VAWA and pass this inclusive bill that protects all survivors. This letter has the same message as the Senate letter submitted last week. Senator Leahy waved it around when he spoke on the Senate floor just minutes before VAWA’s final passage. If you or your organization has already signed the Senate version of this letter, we will include your name unless you opt out (email qjafree@ywca.org). To add your organization, go HERE or tweet-friendly go HERE.

Find your representative http://www.house.gov/representatives/ and click on their webpage to get their district office number – call them at their district office or make an appointment to visit them THIS week (2/18 - 2/22). When you’re connected to their offices, ask to speak to the staff person who handles VAWA.

If your Representative is one of the 201 sponsors Democratic sponsors of the House version of the Senate VAWA ( H.R. 11), thank them profusely and encourage them to talk to and work with their Republican colleagues to get a bipartisan VAWA passed. (For further updates on sponsors, go to http://thomas.loc.gov/home/thomas.php, choose Bill number, type in H.R. 11 and search.)

If your Representative is one of the 17 Republicans who signed onto a letter to Republican House leadership urging a bipartisan VAWA that reaches all victims, thank them and urge them to talk to Speaker Boehner and Majority Leader Cantor and suggest to them that the Senate bill should be considered on the House floor. See letter and signatories here. Twitter handles for these members are at http://www.tweetcongress.org.

If your Representative is NOT on the sponsor list or the Republican letter, call them and tell (or leave a message for) the staff person:

I am a constituent from (city and state) and my name is _________. I want to urge Representative _________ to support a strong, bipartisan, inclusive Violence Against Women Act and hope that they will urge Speaker Boehner to bring the recently-passed bipartisan Senate VAWA (S.47) to the House floor immediately. As you know, VAWA passed the Senate on Tuesday with a resounding bipartisan vote of 78-22 in favor of an all-embracing bill that strives to serve all victims of violence in our communities, homes, campuses and workplaces all around the country.

ACTION ITEM 3: TWEET YOUR REPRESENTATIVES:

If you can’t call or visit, tweet your representative next week. You can find their Twitter handle at http://www.tweetcongress.org/ and tell them:

@TWITTERHANDLE Tell Speaker Boehner to decide on #VAWA + take up bipartisan S.47 in the House. Pass a bill that protects ALL survivors!

Also, thank the Senators who voted for S. 47 with this tweet:

@TWITTERHANDLE Thank you for voting yes for S. 47, a bipartisan #VAWA that supports ALL survivors of violence!

(Washington, DC) – Today, Wednesday February 13, the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence Against Women (National Task Force) celebrates and commends the United States Senate for its passage of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 (S. 47). This strong and inclusive legislation was championed by lead co-sponsors Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Michael Crapo (R-ID) to a 78-22 bi-partisan victory.

Since its original passage in 1994, VAWA has dramatically enhanced our nation’s response to violence against girls and women, boys and men. More victims report domestic violence to the police and the rate of non-fatal intimate partner violence against women has decreased by 64%.

“The sexual assault services program in VAWA helps rape crisis centers keep their doors open to provide the frontline response to victims of rape,” declared Monika Johnson Hostler, President, the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence (NAESV).

VAWA provides for a coordinated community approach, improving collaboration between law enforcement and victim services providers to better meet the needs of victims. These comprehensive and cost-effective programs not only save lives, they also save money. In fact, VAWA saved nearly $12.6 billion in net averted social costs in just its first six years.

“Today’s Senate vote is a resounding reminder that fighting violence in our homes and communities should be everyone’s priority, and that agreement on this shared goal is not only possible across the aisles, but imperative,” stated Kim Gandy, President and CEO for the National Network to End Domestic Violence.

Bipartisan momentum is also growing in the House of Representatives to swiftly pass a strong VAWA reauthorization bill that will protect all victims.

The National Task Force applauds Representative Gwen Moore (D-WI), herself a courageous survivor of domestic violence and sexual assault, for introducing a VAWA reauthorization bill (HR 11; similar to S.47) on January 22nd, and thanks the nearly 200 co-sponsors that have joined her in just the last few weeks.

We know that Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) and Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) are attempting to find common ground (click here for more), pledging to make VAWA’s reauthorization an early House priority. We hope that they will continue to work together to reach agreement on a bill that includes all victims.

The National Task Force also thanks the group of 17 Republican House Members who on February 11th wrote to Speaker John Boehner and Majority Leader Eric Cantor to urge them to immediately move to reauthorize VAWA; lamenting that reauthorization is “long overdue”; attesting that VAWA programs “save lives” and “have been a success in curbing domestic violence and supporting victims”; and appealing for their swift action to reach “bipartisan compromise” and to find a “bipartisan plan… that reaches all victims.” See letter and signatories here.

The National Task Force welcomes these latest signs of bipartisan energy and commitment in the House of Representatives to VAWA’s reauthorization and we know that the resounding Senate bipartisan vote will guide their efforts. We pledge to continue to build and support that momentum in the weeks ahead, and challenge the House to follow the Senate’s lead and bring a strong, inclusive, bipartisan VAWA bill to the floor for a vote in the weeks ahead.

The National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence represents thousands of national, tribal, state, territorial and local organizations, as well as survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

We are committed to ending domestic and sexual violence.

For more about the National Task Force’s multi-year effort to ensure the reauthorization of a strong, bi-partisan VAWA that protects all victims, and for expert factsheets, sign-on letters, and other resources, continue to visit www.4VAWA.org.

Follow us on Twitter at @NTFVAWA and “like” ourFacebook page. Don’t forget to tweet about VAWA using the hashtags #ReauthorizeVAWA, #VAWA4all and #VAWA.

If you aren't on one of the VAWA email lists or want to add members of your staff or state/community leaders to our grassroots alerts e-mail list, send names and contact information including email to ntfvawaalerts@icasa.org.

Today the Senate passed a strong bipartisan bill to reauthorize and strengthen the Violence Against Women Act. This important step shows what we can do when we come together across party lines to take up a just cause. The bill passed by the Senate will help reduce homicides that occur from domestic violence, improve the criminal justice response to rape and sexual assault, address the high rates of dating violence experienced by young women, and provide justice to the most vulnerable among us. I want to thank Senator Leahy and his colleagues from both sides of the aisle for the leadership they have shown on behalf of victims of abuse. It's now time for the House to follow suit and send this bill to my desk so that I can sign it into law.

Today, the Senate passed the Violence Against Women Act with overwhelming bipartisan support. This law has been incredibly effective and I hope the House will vote without delay to renew the law so that we can continue to assist victims of domestic violence and sexual assault and hold offenders accountable for their crimes.

Delay isn’t an option when three women are still killed by their husbands or boyfriends every day. Delay isn’t an option when countless women still live in fear of abuse, and when one in five have been victims of rape. This issue should be beyond debate – the House should follow the Senate’s lead and pass the Violence Against Women Act right away. This is not a Democratic or Republican issue – it’s an issue of justice and compassion.

STATEMENT BY ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC HOLDER ON THE SENATE PASSAGE OF THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT

WASHINGTON – Attorney General Eric Holder issued the following statement today on the Senate passage of the Violence Against Women Act:

“I am extremely pleased the Senate has passed the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which contains important new provisions to expand access to justice for all victims of violence and strengthen law enforcement and prosecutorial tools to hold accountable those who commit these crimes. Notably, the tribal provisions included in the VAWA reauthorization and originally proposed by the Department of Justice, will close a significant jurisdictional gap that has left too many Native American women, precisely because they are Native American, exposed to violence for far too long. The status quo is simply unacceptable and the Senate has today acted courageously on behalf of our society’s most vulnerable, who deserve not only equal justice but also our unquestionable resolve to protect them. As the House of Representatives now moves to consider reauthorizing this critical law, I urge lawmakers to come together, as they have historically, to pass an improved and strengthened VAWA that continues its 18 years of progress towards ending the scourge of violence against all victims in our society.”

The vote on S. 47, a strong, bipartisan bill - with 62 sponsors - that would reauthorize the landmark Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), sponsored by Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Michael Crapo (R-ID) is expected to be voted TODAY, Monday 2/11/2013.

S. 47 is very similar to the bipartisan legislation introduced by Senators Leahy and Crapo last Congress and would improve VAWA programs and strengthen protections for all victims of violence (see description of legislation below and attached for an explanation of some of the changes and responses to incorrect assertions about VAWA).

In anticipation of the impending vote, we need you to take action TODAY by contacting your Senators to thank them for co-sponsoring the Senate VAWA and for voting against the Grassley substitute (all except Senator Heller, who voted yes on the substitute bill). Ask all of them to vote against any further weakening or non-germane amendments! (A list of sponsoring Senators and Senators who might be persuaded to support a final VAWA is at the end of this email.)

ACTION ITEM: CALL YOUR SENATOR(s) TODAY AND MONDAY!!!

Call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask the operator to connect you to your Senators. If you don’t know who your Senators are, you can look them up here. When you’re connected to their offices, ask to speak to the staff person who handles VAWA.

If your Senator IS already cosponsoring, tell or leave a message for the staff person:

I am a constituent from (city and state) and my name is _________.

I want to thank Senator____ for co-sponsoring S. 47, a strong, bipartisan bill that would reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, and for voting against the Grassley substitute.. Please urge Senator _____________ to follow Senator Leahy’s lead and vote NO on any weakening or non-germane amendments and YES on the final bill.

If your Senator is NOT already cosponsoring, tell or leave a message for the staff person:

I am a constituent from (city and state) and my name is _________.

I urge Senator____ to vote for S. 47, a strong, bipartisan bill that would reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, and to vote NO on any further weakening or non-germane amendments.

Thank you and I look forward to hearing that my Senator voted VAWA without harmful amendments.

ACTION ITEM: JOIN US FOR VAWA TWITTER CHAT

Join us for the "State of the VAWA" Twitter Chat TODAY Monday, February 11th!

In light of President Obama’s upcoming State of the Union address, we will be holding a "State of the VAWA" Twitter Chat TODAY, Monday, February 11th at 2pm EST to answer questions and engage the public in a dialogue about the importance of an inclusive VAWA. Send your questions to @NTFVAWA using #VAWAchat, and participate in the conversation TODAY!

Description of S. 47: In addition to many important improvements, such as addressing the criminal justice response to sexual assault, domestic violence homicides, housing needs, and campus victimization included in legislation last year, the current Senate bill also maintains enhanced protections for tribal, LGBT and immigrant victims. These provisions were identified as critical priorities by advocates across the country and received overwhelming bipartisan support last year in the Senate.

One provision from last year’s bill was not included- the modest increase in the number of U visas available to immigrant victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and certain other violent crimes who assist law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution of the crime (originally created by Congress in VAWA 2000). Increasing the number of U visas would help both victims and law enforcement. Unfortunately, that provision led to a technical objection from House Republican leaders and, in the interest of obtaining the swift reauthorization of VAWA, the Senate introduced the new VAWA bill without that provision in order to avoid any initial technical obstacles. Other important provisions to help immigrant victims and their children from last year’s bill are included in S. 47. The National Task Force and Senator Leahy will also be working hard to include the U visa increase in the comprehensive immigration reform legislation that will soon be considered by Congress.

Another provision was added, the SAFER Act, S. 80, originally sponsored by Leahy and Cornyn (R-TX) which passed unanimously in the Senate late last year and promotes the elimination of sexual assault evidence (rape kits) backlogs that could be used to prosecute offenders and solve cold cases.

URGENT: On February 4, 2013, Heritage Action urged a “NO” vote on VAWA reauthorization bill before the Senate (S.47) and indicated that it would count it as a key vote on their scorecard. In its call for a vote against VAWA reauthorization, Heritage Action distorts the record and misrepresents the truth.

Follow us on Twitter at @NTFVAWA and “like” ourFacebook page. Don’t forget to tweet about VAWA using the hashtags #ReauthorizeVAWA, #VAWA4all and #VAWA.

If you aren't on one of the VAWA email lists or want to add members of your staff or state/community leaders to our grassroots alerts e-mail list, send names and contact information including email to ntfvawaalerts@icasa.org.

The vote on S. 47, a strong, bipartisan bill - with 62 sponsors - that would reauthorize the landmark Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), sponsored by Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Michael Crapo (R-ID) was delayed on Thursday and is expected to be voted on early next week, probably Monday (Feb. 11) early evening.

However, a harmful substitute bill proposed by Senator Grassley, that was similar to the flawed House bill of the 112th Congress, was defeated on Thursday 65-34. All of VAWA’s sponsors except Heller R-NV voted against the harmful Grassley “substitute.” Good work everyone.

S. 47 is very similar to the bipartisan legislation introduced by Senators Leahy and Crapo last Congress and would improve VAWA programs and strengthen protections for all victims of violence (see description of legislation below for an explanation of some of the changes).

In anticipation of the impending vote, we need you to take action TODAY and MONDAY by contacting your Senators to thank them for co-sponsoring the Senate VAWA and for voting against the Grassley substitute (all except Senator Heller, who voted yes on the substitute bill).

Ask all of them to vote against any further weakening or non-germane amendments! (A list of sponsoring Senators and Senators who might be persuaded to support a final VAWA is at the end of this email.)

ACTION ITEM: CALL YOUR SENATOR(s) TODAY (2/8) AND MONDAY (2/11) !!!

Call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask the operator to connect you to your Senators. If you don’t know who your Senators are, you can look them up here. When you’re connected to their offices, ask to speak to the staff person who handles VAWA.

If your Senator IS already cosponsoring, tell or leave a message for the staff person:

I am a constituent from (city and state) and my name is _________.

I want to thank Senator____ for co-sponsoring S. 47, a strong, bipartisan bill that would reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, and for voting against the Grassley substitute.. Please urge Senator _____________ to follow Senator Leahy’s lead and vote NO on any weakening or non-germane amendments and YES on the final bill.

If your Senator is NOT already cosponsoring, tell or leave a message for the staff person:

I am a constituent from (city and state) and my name is _________.

I urge Senator____ to vote for S. 47, a strong, bipartisan bill that would reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, and to vote NO on any further weakening or non-germane amendments.

Thank you and I look forward to hearing that my Senator voted VAWA without harmful amendments.

Description of S. 47: In addition to many important improvements, such as addressing the criminal justice response to sexual assault, domestic violence homicides, housing needs, and campus victimization included in legislation last year, the current Senate bill also maintains enhanced protections for tribal, LGBT and immigrant victims. These provisions were identified as critical priorities by advocates across the country and received overwhelming bipartisan support last year in the Senate.

One provision from last year’s bill was not included- the modest increase in the number of U visas available to immigrant victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and certain other violent crimes who assist law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution of the crime (originally created by Congress in VAWA 2000). Increasing the number of U visas would help both victims and law enforcement. Unfortunately, that provision led to a technical objection from House Republican leaders and, in the interest of obtaining the swift reauthorization of VAWA, the Senate introduced the new VAWA bill without that provision in order to avoid any initial technical obstacles. Other important provisions to help immigrant victims and their children from last year’s bill are included in S. 47. The National Task Force and Senator Leahy will also be working hard to include the U visa increase in the comprehensive immigration reform legislation that will soon be considered by Congress.

Another provision was added, the SAFER Act, S. 80, originally sponsored by Leahy and Cornyn (R-TX) which passed unanimously in the Senate late last year and promotes the elimination of sexual assault evidence (rape kits) backlogs that could be used to prosecute offenders and solve cold cases.

Please note this GOOD amendment: Senator Leahy is offering a trafficking-related amendment, which is effectively the same as S.1301, the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA), a positive bill that had broad bipartisan support last year (including from 15 Republicans). For a factsheet on S.1301, click here. For the bill text click here and for a full list of co-sponsors, click here. NTF supports this amendment.

Follow us on Twitter at @NTFVAWA and “like” ourFacebook page. Don’t forget to tweet about VAWA using the hashtags #ReauthorizeVAWA, #VAWA4all and #VAWA.

If you aren't on one of the VAWA email lists or want to add members of your staff or state/community leaders to our grassroots alerts e-mail list, send names and contact information including email to ntfvawaalerts@icasa.org.

S. 47, a strong, bipartisan bill - with 61 sponsors - that would reauthorize the landmark Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), sponsored by Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Michael Crapo (R-ID) is headed to the Senate floor for a vote TODAY (Thursday, February 7)!

This bill is very similar to the bipartisan legislation introduced by Senators Leahy and Crapo last Congress and would improve VAWA programs and strengthen protections for all victims of violence.

With 61 sponsors, victory is in sight. In anticipation of the impending vote, we need you to take action TODAY by contacting your Senators to thank them for co-sponsoring, or to ask them to co-sponsor and vote YES on S. 47 today!

We also need to remind Senators to vote against any weakening or non-germane amendments!

A list of sponsoring Senators and Senators that still need to sponsor is below.

ACTION ITEM 1: CALL YOUR SENATOR(s) TODAY!!!

You can reach your Senator(s) by calling (202) 224-3121, or you can look them up here.

Ask to speak to the staff person who handles VAWA.

If your Senator IS already cosponsoring, tell or leave a message for the staff person:

I am a constituent from (city and state) and my name is _________.

I want to thank Senator____ for co-sponsoring S. 47, a strong, bipartisan bill that would reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, and vote YES on the bill. Please urge Senator _____________ to follow Senator Leahy’s lead and vote NO on any weakening or non-germane amendments.

If your Senator is NOT already cosponsoring, tell or leave a message for the staff person:

I am a constituent from (city and state) and my name is _________.

I urge Senator____ to co-sponsor S. 47, a strong, bipartisan bill that would reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, and to vote YES on the bill and vote NO on any weakening or non-germane amendments.

Thank you and I look forward to hearing that the Senator is a co-sponsor and/or voted for VAWA without harmful amendments.

Follow us on Twitter at @NTFVAWA and “like” ourFacebook page. Don’t forget to tweet about VAWA using the hashtags #ReauthorizeVAWA, #VAWA4all and #VAWA.

If you aren't on one of the VAWA email lists or want to add members of your staff or state/community leaders to our grassroots alerts e-mail list, send names and contact information including email to ntfvawaalerts@icasa.org.

S. 47, a strong, bipartisan bill - with 61 sponsors - that would reauthorize the landmark Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), sponsored by Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Michael Crapo (R-ID) is headed to the Senate floor for a vote THIS WEEK!

This bill is very similar to the bipartisan legislation introduced by Senators Leahy and Crapo last Congress and would improve VAWA programs and strengthen protections for all victims of violence (see description of legislation below for an explanation of some of the changes).

Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has scheduled floor discussion to begin this afternoon (Monday, February. 4). Then, after two days of party “retreats,” VAWA will come up again on Thursday, February 7. With 61 sponsors, victory is in sight.

In anticipation of the impending vote, we need you to take action TODAY by contacting your Senators to thank them for co-sponsoring, or to ask them to co-sponsor and vote YES on S. 47.

We also need to remind Senators to vote against any weakening or non-germane amendments! (A list of sponsoring Senators and Senators that still need to sponsor is at the end of this email.)

ACTION ITEM: CALL YOUR SENATOR(s) TODAY!!!

If you don’t see your Senator on the list of co-sponsors below, call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask the operator to connect you to your Senators. If you don’t know who your Senators are, you can look them up here.

If your Senator IS already cosponsoring, tell or leave a message for the staff person:

I am a constituent from (city and state) and my name is _________.

I want to thank Senator____ for co-sponsoring S. 47, a strong, bipartisan bill that would reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, and voting YES on the bill. Please urge Senator _____________ to follow Senator Leahy’s lead and vote NO on any weakening or non-germane amendments.

If your Senator is NOT already cosponsoring, tell or leave a message for the staff person:

I am a constituent from (city and state) and my name is _________.

I urge Senator____ to co-sponsor S. 47, a strong, bipartisan bill that would reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, and to vote YES on the bill and vote NO on any weakening or non-germane amendments.

Thank you and I look forward to hearing that the Senator is a co-sponsor and/or voted for VAWA without harmful amendments.

ACTION ITEM: PARTICIPATE IN OUR PHOTO CAMPAIGN!

Join our “We need VAWA because…” campaign on Facebook and Instagram! Tag your photos on Instragram with #VAWA or submit your photos via email to our partners from The Leadership Conference Education Fund at lccref@gmail.com. Make sure to include your city and state name and your Senators’ and representative’s names in your statement so that your Senators/Representative knows that their state/district cares about VAWA.

ACTION ITEM: JOIN US IN A TWITTER CHAT ON FEBRUARY 11TH

In light of President Obama’s upcoming State of the Union address, we will be holding a “State of the VAWA” Twitter Chat on Monday, February 11th at 2pm EST to answer questions and engage the public in a dialogue about the importance of an inclusive VAWA. Send your questions to @NTFVAWA using #VAWAchat, and participate in the conversation on February 11th.

Help us spread the word by using the sample Facebook posts and Tweets below! Be sure to include the Twitter Chat graphic when possible.

Sample Facebook Posts

We’ll be joining the @National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence to discuss the Violence Against Women Act. Join us February 11th at 2pm EST for a discussion on the importance of passing an inclusive VAWA in 2013. Send your questions to @NTFVAWA using #VAWAchat, and participate in the conversation on February 11th! bit.ly/12nNddp (ATTACH GRAPHIC) bit.ly/14NQAds

In light of President Obama’s upcoming State of the Union address, join a Twitter chat to discuss the “State of the VAWA” Monday, February 11th at 2pm EST. Send your questions to @NTFVAWA using #VAWAchat, and participate in the conversation on February 11th!bit.ly/12nNddp (ATTACH GRAPHIC)bit.ly/14NQAds

Sample Tweets

Join the #VAWAchat on 2/11 at 2pm ET on how #VAWA protects victims of sexual & domestic violence. #DV #GBVbit.ly/12nNddp

We’re joining @NFTVAWA to discuss the Violence Against Women Act. Join the convo on 2/11 at 2pm ET using #VAWAchat!bit.ly/12nNddp

Description of legislation: In addition to many important improvements, such as addressing the criminal justice response to sexual assault, domestic violence homicides, housing needs, and campus victimization included in legislation last year, the current Senate bill also maintains enhanced protections for tribal, LGBT and immigrant victims. These provisions were identified as critical priorities by advocates across the country and received overwhelming bipartisan support last year in the Senate.

One provision from last year’s bill was not included- the modest increase in the number of U visas available to immigrant victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and certain other violent crimes who assist law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution of the crime (originally created by Congress in VAWA 2000). Increasing the number of U visas would help both victims and law enforcement. Unfortunately, that provision led to a technical objection from House Republican leaders and, in the interest of obtaining the swift reauthorization of VAWA, the Senate introduced the new VAWA bill without that provision in order to avoid any initial technical obstacles. Other important provisions to help immigrant victims and their children from last year’s bill are included in S. 47. The National Task Force and Senator Leahy will also be working hard to include the U visa increase in the comprehensive immigration reform legislation that will soon be considered by Congress.

Another provision was added, the SAFER Act, S. 80, originally sponsored by Leahy and Cornyn (R-TX) which passed unanimously in the Senate late last year and promotes the elimination of sexual assault evidence (rape kits) backlogs that could be used to prosecute offenders and solve cold cases.

Follow us on Twitter at @NTFVAWA and “like” ourFacebook page. Don’t forget to tweet about VAWA using the hashtags #ReauthorizeVAWA, #VAWA4all and #VAWA.

If you aren't on one of the VAWA email lists or want to add members of your staff or state/community leaders to our grassroots alerts e-mail list, send names and contact information including email to ntfvawaalerts@icasa.org.

BREAKING NEWS: Over the weekend, Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) announced that she has cosponsored the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) reauthorization bill to provide support for victims of domestic violence. Thank you Senator!!

We now have 61 Cosponsors of S. 47! Thank you everyone for all of your hard work!!

This bill is very similar to the bipartisan legislation introduced by Senators Leahy and Crapo last Congress and would improve VAWA programs and strengthen protections for all victims of violence (see description of legislation below for an explanation of some of the changes).

Senator Leahy has arranged for VAWA to go directly to the Senate floor and Majority Leader Harry Reid has promised to bring VAWA up for a vote this week.

The bill now has 61 sponsors including 7 Republicans!

ACTION ITEM: Please thank the below Senators for their early support of the Violence Against Women Act.

If you don’t see your Senator on the list above, call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask the operator to connect you to your Senators. If you don’t know who your Senators are, you can look them up here. When you’re connected to their offices, ask to speak to the staff person who handles VAWA. Tell the person who answers the phone:

I am a constituent from (city and state) and my name is _________.

I urge Senator____ to co-sponsor S. 47, a strong, bipartisan bill that would reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act and to oppose weakening, harmful or non-germane amendments. The bill could come to the Senate floor in a matter of days.

Thank you and I look forward to hearing that the Senator is a co-sponsor and supporter.

ACTION ITEM: PARTICIPATE IN OUR PHOTO CAMPAIGN!

Join our “We need VAWA because…” campaign on Facebook and Instagram! [Tag your photos on Instragram with #VAWA or submit your photos via email to our partners from The Leadership Conference Education Fund at lccref@gmail.com. Make sure to include your city and state name and your senators’ and representative’s names in your statement so that your senators/representative knows that their state/district cares about VAWA.

ACTION ITEM: JOIN US IN A TWITTER CHAT ON FEBRUARY 11TH

In light of President Obama’s upcoming State of the Union address, we will be holding a “State of the VAWA” Twitter Chat on Monday, February 11th at 2pm EST to answer questions and engage the public in a dialogue about the importance of an inclusive VAWA. Please mark your calendars and send your questions in advance to @NTFVAWA using the #VAWAChat hashtag. More information coming soon!

###

Description of legislation: In addition to many important improvements, such as addressing the criminal justice response to sexual assault, domestic violence homicides, housing needs, and campus victimization included in legislation last year. The current Senate bill also maintains enhanced protections for tribal, LGBT and immigrant victims. These provisions were identified as critical priorities by advocates across the country and received overwhelming bipartisan support last year in the Senate.

One provision from last year’s bill was not included- the modest increase in the number of U visas available to immigrant victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and certain other violent crimes who assist law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution of the crime (originally created by Congress in VAWA 2000). Increasing the number of U visas would help both victims and law enforcement. Unfortunately, that provision led to a technical objection from House Republican leaders and, in the interest of obtaining the swift reauthorization of VAWA, the Senate introduced the new VAWA bill without that provision in order to avoid any initial technical obstacles. Other important provisions to help immigrant victims and their children from last year’s bill are included in S. 47. The National Task Force and Senator Leahy will also be working hard to include the U visa increase in the comprehensive immigration reform legislation that will soon be considered by Congress.

Another provision was added, the SAFER Act, S. 80, originally sponsored by Leahy and Cornyn (R-TX) which passed unanimously in the Senate late last year and promotes the elimination of sexual assault evidence (rape kits) backlogs that could be used to prosecute offenders and solve cold cases.

###

For more information, fact sheets, press coverage, support letters, and updates continue to visit 4vawa.org.

Follow us on Twitter at @NTFVAWA and “like” our Facebook page. Don’t forget to tweet about VAWA using the hashtags #ReauthorizeVAWA, #VAWA4all and #VAWA.

If you aren't on one of the VAWA email lists or want to add members of your staff or state/community leaders to our grassroots alerts e-mail list, send names and contact information including email to ntfvawaalerts@icasa.org.

This bill is very similar to the bipartisan legislation introduced by Senators Leahy and Crapo last Congress and would improve VAWA programs and strengthen protections for all victims of violence (see description of legislation below for an explanation of some of the changes).

Senator Leahy has arranged for VAWA to go directly to the Senate floor and Majority Leader Harry Reid has promised to bring VAWA up for a vote in the next week. In order to continue our incredible momentum from last Congress and get VAWA passed right now, we need you to take action TODAY by contacting your Senators to co-sponsor S. 47.

After only 4 working days since introduction, the bill has 56 sponsors including 6 Republicans. Our goal is to get 60 co-sponsors by January 31st so that VAWA passes resoundingly on the Senate floor for a jubilant bipartisan victory.

Please thank these Senators for their early support of the Violence Against Women Act.

ACTION ITEM: CALL YOUR SENATOR(s) TODAY!!!

If you don’t see your Senator on the list above, call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask the operator to connect you to your Senators. If you don’t know who your Senators are, you can look them up here. When you’re connected to their offices, ask to speak to the staff person who handles VAWA. Tell the person who answers the phone:

I am a constituent from (city and state) and my name is _________.

I urge Senator____ to co-sponsor S. 47, a strong, bipartisan bill that would reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act and to oppose weakening, harmful or non-germane amendments. The bill could come to the Senate floor in a matter of days.

Thank you and I look forward to hearing that the Senator is a co-sponsor and supporter.

ACTION ITEM: PARTICIPATE IN OUR PHOTO CAMPAIGN!

Join our “We need VAWA because…” campaign on Facebook and Instagram! [Tag your photos on Instragram with #VAWA or submit your photos via email to our partners from The Leadership Conference Education Fund at lccref@gmail.com. Make sure to include your city and state name and your senators’ and representative’s names in your statement so that your senators/representative knows that their state/district cares about VAWA.

ACTION ITEM: JOIN US IN A TWITTER CHAT ON FEBRUARY 11TH

In light of President Obama’s upcoming State of the Union address, we will be holding a “State of the VAWA” Twitter Chat on Monday, February 11th at 2pm EST to answer questions and engage the public in a dialogue about the importance of an inclusive VAWA. Please mark your calendars and send your questions in advance to @NTFVAWA using the #SoVAWA hashtag. More information coming soon!

###

Description of legislation: In addition to many important improvements, such as addressing the criminal justice response to sexual assault, domestic violence homicides, housing needs, and campus victimization included in legislation last year. The current Senate bill also maintains enhanced protections for tribal, LGBT and immigrant victims. These provisions were identified as critical priorities by advocates across the country and received overwhelming bipartisan support last year in the Senate.

One provision from last year’s bill was not included- the modest increase in the number of U visas available to immigrant victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and certain other violent crimes who assist law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution of the crime (originally created by Congress in VAWA 2000). Increasing the number of U visas would help both victims and law enforcement. Unfortunately, that provision led to a technical objection from House Republican leaders and, in the interest of obtaining the swift reauthorization of VAWA, the Senate introduced the new VAWA bill without that provision in order to avoid any initial technical obstacles. Other important provisions to help immigrant victims and their children from last year’s bill are included in S. 47. The National Task Force and Senator Leahy will also be working hard to include the U visa increase in the comprehensive immigration reform legislation that will soon be considered by Congress.

Another provision was added, the SAFER Act, S. 80, originally sponsored by Leahy and Cornyn (R-TX) which passed unanimously in the Senate late last year and promotes the elimination of sexual assault evidence (rape kits) backlogs that could be used to prosecute offenders and solve cold cases.

###

For more information, fact sheets, press coverage, support letters, and updates continue to visit 4vawa.org.

Follow us on Twitter at @NTFVAWA and “like” our Facebook page. Don’t forget to tweet about VAWA using the hashtags #ReauthorizeVAWA, #VAWA4all and #VAWA.

If you aren't on one of the VAWA email lists or want to add members of your staff or state/community leaders to our grassroots alerts e-mail list, send names and contact information including email to ntfvawaalerts@icasa.org.

Also yesterday, Representatives Gwen Moore (D-WI) and John Conyers (D-MI) introduced H.R. 11, a House companion identical to the bipartisan Senate bill. The National Task Force calls on the House of Representatives to work together in a bipartisan effort to build on the momentum from the last Congress in order to reauthorize VAWA as a matter of priority.

Action Item:

Call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask the operator to connect you to your Senators. If you don’t know who your Senators are, you can look them up here. When you’re connected to their offices, tell the person who answers the phone:

I am a constituent from (city and state) and my name is _________.

I urge Senator____ to co-sponsor the S. 47, a strong, bipartisan bill that would reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.

Thank you and I look forward to hearing that the Senator is a co-sponsor.

Description of legislation: In addition to many important improvements throughout the bill that received bipartisan support last year, this bill also contains enhanced protections for tribal, LGBT and immigrant victims, which were identified as critical priorities by advocates across the country and also received bipartisan support last year. Last year’s bill, however, also included a modest increase in the number of U visas (created by Congress in VAWA 2000) available to immigrant victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and certain other violent crimes who assist law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution of the crime. Increasing the number of U visas helps both victims and law enforcement. Unfortunately, that provision led to a technical objection from House Republican leaders. In the interest of obtaining the swift reauthorization of VAWA, the Senate introduced the new VAWA bill without that provision in order to avoid any initial technical obstacles. However, this new VAWA bill does recommit Congress to important immigration provisions so that all victims are protected. Senator Leahy will be working hard to include the U visa increase in the comprehensive immigration reform legislation that will soon be considered by Congress. The members of the National Task Force likewise commit to support that effort.

For more information, fact sheets, press coverage, support letters, and updates please continue to visit 4vawa.org.

Follow us on Twitter at @NTFVAWA and “like” our Facebook page. Don’t forget to tweet about VAWA using the hashtags #ReauthorizeVAWA, #RealVAWA and #VAWA.

If you would like to add your name to the VAWA action alert email lists or want to add members of your staff or state/community leaders to our e-mailing list, send names and contact information including email to ntfvawaalerts@icasa.org.

WASHINGTON (Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2013) – U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) reintroduced the bipartisan Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act Tuesday—the first day that bills can be introduced in the Senate in the new 113th Congress— and called for the Senate to take up the measure without delay.

The bill, which reauthorizes the landmark Violence Against Women Act law that was enacted more than 20 years ago, strengthens and improves existing programs that assist victims and survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. The measure closely mirrors the bipartisan legislation approved by the Senate last year, and again is coauthored by Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho).

“This life-saving legislation should be a top priority of the new 113th Congress,” Leahy said of the bill, which won the support of 68 Senators include 15 Republicans and all the women Senators last year. “It is our hope that the Senate will act quickly to pass this strong, bipartisan bill to help all victims of domestic and sexual violence.”

“The Violence Against Women Act has helped countless victims of domestic and relationship violence for nearly twenty years,” Crapo said. “The path to reauthorization in the 113th Congress begins with reintroduction, and I look forward to working with Senator Leahy and my colleagues on compromise language that can garner the necessary support in both the Senate and House to pass this critical legislation.”

The Leahy-Crapo VAWA bill seeks to protect all victims including those victims who are students, racial minorities, tribal members, immigrants and members of the LGBT community. The bill includes almost all of last year’s bipartisan measure, including campus safety provisions and important all-state minimum funding formulas for key grant programs to ensure that small, rural states like Vermont have access to the victim services grants authorized under VAWA. Added to this year’s measure is the SAFER Act, a bill also approved by the Senate last year that provides for audits of untested rape kits. The improved version now also provides law enforcement the tools they need to help reduce the backlog of rape kits throughout the country.

To better ensure passage of the Senate VAWA bill, this year’s measure does not include the modest increase in the number of U visas available to immigrant victims. House Republicans objected to taking up the Senate-passed measure last year based on technical grounds of the U visa provision, and by setting it aside Leahy said the new VAWA bill should have a stronger chance of passing both chambers this year. Leahy intends to work to ensure that the provision passes as part of comprehensive immigration reform instead.

“In the interest of making quick and decisive progress, we introduce the bill today without that provision in order to remove any excuse for House inaction,” Leahy said. “We have retained other important improvements for immigrant victims in the bill we introduce today as part of our commitment to ensuring that all victims are protected.”

The Violence Against Women Act was reauthorized in 2000 and again in 2005, each time with bipartisan support. The law expired in September 2011. The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act will provide a five year authorization for VAWA programs, and reduce authorized funding levels by more than $135 million, or 17 percent, from the law’s 2005 authorization.

On the Introduction of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013

January 22, 2013

On the first day for bill introductions this year I once again join with Senator Crapo and a distinguished, bipartisan group of Senators to introduce the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013. This life-saving legislation should be a top priority of the new 113th Congress. It is our hope that the Senate will act quickly to pass this strong, bipartisan bill to help all victims of domestic and sexual violence.

The Senate acted just nine months ago to approve the Leahy-Crapo Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012 with 68 bipartisan votes. Despite our best efforts, the House did not join in our bipartisan efforts and enact that bill into law.

By now, the litany of VAWA’s successes is familiar, but important. Since this historic legislation first passed in 1994, states have strengthened criminal rape statutes, and every state has made stalking a crime. The annual incidence of domestic violence has dropped more than 50 percent. We have helped to provide victims with critical services like housing and legal protection. Those are just a few highlights. We need to remember that behind those numbers are thousands of lives made immeasurably better.

Despite VAWA’s success, there is a pressing need to update and strengthen its protections. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2010 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey found that one in four women has been the victim of severe physical domestic violence and one in five women has been raped in her lifetime. These numbers are almost too awful to contemplate.

Real life cases remind us that this reauthorization is long overdue. Last month, I read in the Burlington Free Press the story of Carmen Tarleton, a woman from Thetford, Vermont. Five years ago, Carmen’s estranged husband broke into her home, beat her with a baseball bat, and poured industrial-strength lye on her, severely burning a great deal of her body and nearly blinding her. Her doctors said that she had suffered “the most horrific injury a human being could suffer.” Today, she is nearly blind, disfigured, and continues to experience pain from her injuries. Despite this, Carmen is courageously sharing her story.

Stories like this one remind us that every day that we do not pass legislation that will help to prevent horrific violence and assist victims, more people are suffering. Late last year while Congress failed to act on our bipartisan bill, we saw tragic domestic violence-related murder-suicides in Missouri and Colorado. We also learned of harrowing new accounts of sexual assaults on college campuses. These are just more examples of the kind of tragedies that unfold every day across the country.

The Leahy-Crapo bill would support the use of techniques proven to help identify high-risk cases and prevent domestic violence homicides. It would increase VAWA’s focus on sexual assault and push colleges to strengthen their efforts to protect students from domestic and sexual violence.

This reauthorization will allow us to make real progress in addressing the horrifying epidemic of domestic violence in tribal communities, where one recent study found that almost three in five native women have been assaulted by their spouses or intimate partners. It will allow services to get to those in the LGBT community who have had trouble accessing services in the past.

Every VAWA reauthorization Congress has passed has taken steps to help immigrant victims of violence, who are often particularly vulnerable. Last year’s bill included a modest increase in the number of U visas available to immigrant victims who help law enforcement, which is good for victims and for law enforcement. Unfortunately, that provision led to a technical objection from House Republican leaders. In the interest of making quick and decisive progress, we introduce the bill today without that provision in order to remove any excuse for House inaction. We have retained other important improvements for immigrant victims in the bill we introduce today as part of our commitment to ensuring that all victims are protected.

I still believe strongly in the U visa increase that was in last year’s Leahy-Crapo bill. I authored that provision after hearing from law enforcement and the experts in the field. I think it is needed to encourage assistance to law enforcement and to protect immigrant women and I remain committed to enacting it and ensuring that the needed U visa increase is adopted. I intend to work to include it in comprehensive immigration reform legislation that we should consider early in this Congress. It will be part of our immigration reform effort.

We have included, as well, in this year’s bill the specific provisions of the SAFER bill that I worked out with Senator Cornyn and Senator Grassley last year and that then passed the Senate unanimously late in the session. I hope that Senators who opposed VAWA last year while supporting those provisions will now join with us in our effort to enact VAWA reauthorization that includes those provisions, as well.

All of the provisions in our bill were developed with the help of victims and with those who assist them every day. They are common sense measures that will help real people. It is past time for Congress to move beyond partisan politics in order to provide help to victims of domestic and sexual violence.

We can make these concrete and important changes in the law that will prevent terrible violence and provide more help to victims. There is no excuse for delay. I hope all Senators will join me in quickly moving this bill through the Senate and that the House will quickly work with us to get a strong VAWA bill to the President.

I thank Senator Crapo, the lead Senate Republican cosponsor of our bill and Senators Murkowski, Mikulski, Ayotte, Collins, Coons, Durbin, Bennet, Klobuchar, Shaheen, and McCaskill, who join us as original cosponsors and have all been strong supporters of VAWA. I look forward to many others joining us to move forward on this vital legislation. I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Speak Out about VAWA and the Value of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services

As part of Inauguration Week, the President and First Lady have called on Americans across the country to participate in the National Day of Service honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Saturday, January 19th.

In the spirit of service and citizenship, we’re asking you to invite your Members of Congress to give back to the domestic violence and rape crisis programs in their communities and to recognize the value of VAWA-funded programs. Call or write your Members of Congress, and ask them to honor VAWA through the National Day of Service by volunteering their time at and/or making a donation to programs that truly make a difference in the lives of survivors and in their communities!

As people around the country volunteer in their communities on this National Day of Service, we also have an opportunity to speak out about the importance of the services that local domestic violence and rape crisis programs provide to victims every single day and how critical the swift passage of VAWA is to be able to serve all victims.

Programs supported by VAWA provide lifesaving services to millions of victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. Yet despite VAWA's proven ability to substantially improve lives, it has not reached all victims. VAWA reauthorization provides an opportunity to build upon the successes of the current law by including key improvements, and ensuring that all victims will have access to much-needed services. Also, federal funding is now more essential than ever to ensure that programs across the country can keep the lights on, answer crisis calls, and provide vital services for victims fleeing violence.

Call, write, or tweet your Member of Congress with this message:

On January 19th, join me in the National Day of Service to recognize the critical support that VAWA provides to survivors of sexual and domestic violence. Volunteer your time at and/or make a donation to [NAME OF LOCAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE/RAPE CRISIS PROGRAM], and support the difference these programs make in the lives of survivors and in [NAME OF YOUR COMMUNITY]. Your work on January 19th – and in Congress – is necessary to pass VAWA and fund VAWA programs immediately so that all victims can get the support they need and deserve!

Sample Tweet:

@YourRep Honor the National Day of Service: Volunteer time or make a donation to [NAME OF LOCAL RAPE CRISIS OR DV PROGRAM] and pass #VAWA now!

Tell them how important VAWA reauthorization and funding is to sustaining and improving services for victims in your community! You can also include stories or pictures that communicate the value of the services you provide every day.

Ask your Members of Congress to do service at a domestic violence program or rape crisis center

Call/write/tweet about the need to reauthorize VAWA and fund VAWA programs

Be sure to come back to 4vawa.org to get the latest updates on VAWA, fact sheets, press coverage, support letters and updates.

Follow us on twitter at @NTFVAWA and “like” our Facebook page . Don’t forget to tweet about VAWA using the hashtags #ReauthorizeVAWA, #RealVAWA and #VAWA.

If you aren't on one of the VAWA email lists or want to add members of your staff or state/community leaders to our grassroots alerts e-mailing list, send names and contact information including email to ntfvawaalerts@icasa.org.

We wish you a safe and happy new year! Over the holidays, we have had time to pause to reflect on our progress in authorizing a strong and responsive VAWA. Now, as 2013 begins, we know that we cannot lose momentum. Join with us in 2013 to ensure early passage of this essential legislation.

Thanks to the tireless efforts of you, the countless advocates and supporters, we made critical advancements in educating Congress and the general public on the real needs of all victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. And Congress responded to our efforts, engaging in serious conversation over that language needed to complete a safe and comprehensive VAWA.

While we came very close, time ran out. We were all deeply disappointed that a final bill was not reached in the 112th Congress. The U.S. House of Representatives continued to voice strong opposition to offering basic protections to certain vulnerable populations.

Our anger is at the missed opportunity in 2012 to enact all the important improvements that we all worked so hard to add to the bill – housing, campus and sexual assault provisions and enhanced services and explicit programs for communities of color, immigrant, tribal and LGBT victims and survivors. However, we also will not have the harmful provisions added by the Senate Judiciary Committee and the House Republicans in the 2012 version of the bill.

It is very important that we celebrate our past three years of awareness and advocacy even as we mourn VAWA 2012’s failure to pass. While the reauthorization bill is “dead,” VAWA itself is very much alive and will continue in its 2005 version.

Programs and services will not close because we didn’t reauthorize VAWA but they are certainly threatened because the budget crises at the local, state and national levels are always looming. While the deal on the “fiscal cliff” delayed harmful across-the-board cuts to federal programs until early March, our analysis shows nearly 200,000 victims of violence would lose services if another agreement is not made. With your help, we can build on the work we’ve done in 2012 to pass VAWA in 2013 and stop these destructive budget cuts.

Today, the 113th Congress will be sworn in. There is no time to waste in addressing the needs of victims. We call on the 113th Congress to act immediately on VAWA this month and pass a bill that safely and effectively meets the needs of all victims.

. . . ‘Only way to reauthorize VAWA’ is for House to take up Senate bill

WASHINGTON (Thursday, December 20, 2012) – U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), lead author of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act, called on Thursday for House Republicans to do the right thing in the final days of the 112th Congress and pass the Senate-passed measure that protects all victims against domestic and sexual violence.

In a statement, Leahy noted that he has sought a bipartisan compromise with House Republicans on the key tribal provision in the Senate bill, which was coauthored by Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and passed the Senate with 68 votes in April. Leahy has repeatedly stated over the last few weeks that legislation authored by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) and Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) could provide a reasonable, middle ground on tribal jurisdiction and ultimately a groundbreaking deal on VAWA between the two chambers. While no such compromise has materialized, Leahy said there is still time for the House to act.

“I appreciate that there have at last been some renewed discussions about this bill in the House of Representatives but that is not enough,” Leahy said. “The only way to reauthorize VAWA this year is for the House to take up and pass the Senate-passed bill. If the House Republican leadership refuses to do that in the final days of this Congress, it is a shame.”

He noted the tragic events like this week’s shooting in Colorado, in which a man just released from jail on domestic violence charges killed his ex-girlfriend, her sister, her sister’s husband and eventually himself, only underscore the need for Congress to focus on passing VAWA. If the House fails to act, Leahy vowed to continue to champion inclusive legislation that protects all victims next year and push Congress to act.

“We have seen enough violence,” Leahy said. “If we cannot get the Leahy-Crapo bill over the finish line this year, we will come back next year, and we will get it done. I look forward to other Senators joining us as we continue this vital effort.”

Be a hero and help pass a VAWA that includes ALL victims and survivors. Your leadership can make this happen. A final VAWA that does not protect Native women and does not hold perpetrators accountable is unacceptable.

Right now, House leadership is in talks with VAWA’s Senate champions to discuss VAWA. There is a path to bipartisan passage that protects and provides justice for all victims – including Native American women. Our country must stand to protect all victims.

Under current law, Native victims face dire and life-threatening violence on Tribal lands at the hands of non-Native offenders who cannot be prosecuted by tribal courts. The National Task Force is unwilling to support a bill that leaves any victims out. It’s important for us to tell Republicans that we will stand with them if they do the right thing.

VAWA has bipartisan support and in recent days, dozens of Republican members of Congress have offered real solutions and solid support for the provisions that include all victims. Last week, Congressmen Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Tom Cole (R-OK) introduced H.R. 6625, a stand-alone bill which contains compromise language to address Republican concerns that the tribal jurisdiction over non tribal defendants is unconstitutional. These good faith efforts to find common ground and a path forward must not be dismissed.

CALL immediately to Speaker Boehner’s 202-225-0600 or 202-225-6205 and House Majority Leader Cantor’s office 202-225-2815 or 202-225-4000 and strongly urge House Majority Leader Eric Cantor and Speaker Boehner to seize the moment and get this bill done with the compromise tribal jurisdictional provisions intact.

This is their opportunity to be leaders in all of this and we are prayerful and optimistic that they will put politics aside and pass a VAWA inclusive of those thus far left behind. House leadership needs to hear loud and clear that now is the time to pass a VAWA for all victims—Native women included. And they need to also hear that a VAWA which does not protect Native women and does not hold perpetrators accountable is unacceptable.

All victims of violence – including Native Women - cannot afford to wait another year for justice.